Water dispenser for refrigerator



Jan. 15, 1957 NAVEE 2,777,304

WATER DISPENSER FOR REFRIGERATOR Filed D90. 9, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

ALFRED E. NAVE.

ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 15, 1957 NAVE 2,777,304

WATER DISPENSER FOR REFRIGERATOR Filed Dec. 9.. 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

ALFRED E. NAVE.

ma/Mia wfl MM VSMZ ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 15, 1957 A. E. NAVE WATER DISPENSER FOR REFRIGERATOR 6 Sheets-Sheet3 Filed Dec. 9, 195

INVENTOR.

ALFRED E. NAVE.

fl/mm 7W2.

ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 15, 1957 A. NAVE WATER DISPENSER FOR REFRIGERATOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed Dec. 9, 1955 INVENTOR.

ALFRED E. NAVE.

ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 15, 1957 A. E. NAVE WATER DISPENSER FOR REFRIGERATOR 6 Sheets-Sheet5 Filed Dec. 9, 1953 INVENTOR.

ALFRED E. NAVE. BY

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ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 15, 1957 A. E. NAVE 2,777,304

WATER DISPENSER FOR REFRIGERATOR Filed Dec. 9, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 6INVENTOR.

ALFRED E. NAVE.

BY m4? Q3414 WM M2,

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent WATER DISPENSER FOR REFRIGERATOR Alfred E. Nave,Cincinnati, Ohio,assignor to Avco Manufacturing Corporation, Cincinnati,Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application December 9, 1953, Serial No.397,192

Claims. (Cl. 62-141) The present invention relates to a water dispenserand, more particularly, to a water dispenser designed for installationin a refrigerator door whereby drinking water cooled within therefrigerator can be readily dispensed by means located on the exteriorof the refrigerator.

Broadly considered, Water dispensers for refrigerators are not new butsuch dispensers have not been used widely because of inherentshortcomings which have prevented ready acceptance by the consumingpublic. Nevertheless, there is considerable evidence that the publicdesires water dispensers built into refrigerators to make it possible toobtain cool Water conveniently with a minimum of effort. The presentinvention has been devised to meet this demand and provides a storageand dispensing mechanism which is simple, convenient, and attractiveas.well as economical to produce.

Briefly stated, the present invention comprises a water tank releasablyattached to the inner liner of a refrigerator door and having adischarge spout extending through the door into cooperative, engagementwith a springloaded pushbar, which, when actuated, permits flow of waterthrough the spout into a drinking glass or other receptacle placedadjacent the spout at the exterior of the refrigerator door. The pushbaris pivotally attached to an escutcheon plate, secured to the shell ofthe refrigerator door, which defines a shallow Well for receiving thedrinking glass. In the course of its movement, the pushbar engages aspring-loaded valve which controls the flow of water from the watertank.

The invention comprehends the provision of improved means for sealingthe spout where it extends through the insulation within therefrigerator door.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention also includes an inletconduit pivotally connected to the water tank whereby the conduit may beswung away from the refrigerator door and the tank may be filled, withwater while it is in its assembled position on the door.

In view of the foregoing, it is obviously a broad object of the presentinvention to provide an improved drinking water dispenser for arefrigerator or similar appliance.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved watertank which may be filled while assembled on a refrigerator door andwhich may be readily removed and disassembled for cleaning purposes.

A further object of the invention is the provision of improved sealingmeans for the discharge spout of a Water dispenser.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a spring-loadedpushbar mechanism located on the exterior of a refrigerator door whichmay be actuated to release drinking water from a tank stored within therefrigerator so that it may flow through a discharge nozzle to theexterior of the refrigerator.

A broad object of the invention is the provision of an improved watertank assembly which may be releasably attached to the inner liner of arefrigerator door so as to be housed substantially within a recessformed in the door liner. An advantage of the invention is that the tankenhances the appearance of the door without detracting significantlyfrom the useful volume of the refrigerator.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of meansfor dispensing cooled drinking water at the exterior of a refrigeratordoor without necessitating opening of the door.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the inventionare set forth in the appended claims; the invention itself, however,both as to its organization and method of operation together withadditional objects andadvantages thereof, will best be understood fromthe following description of the preferred embodiment when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the upper portion of theexterior of a refrigerator door showing the present invention inassembled relationship with the door;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the interior of the door showing theWater tank releasably attached thereto;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on plane 33 of Figure 2 showingthe water tank in plan view, a portion of the cover of the water tankbeing broken away to illustrate the interior construction of the tank;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on plane 4-4 ofFigure 2 showing the inlet conduit in closed position above the tank;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view corresponding generally to Figure 4 butshowing the inlet conduit in the position assumed when the tank is beingfilled;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the water dispenser taken onplane 66 of Figure l Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the inletconduit in assembled relationship with the tank taken on plane 77 ofFigure 4;

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the tank taken onplane 8-8 of Figure 2 and illustrating in cross section a transparentwindow through which the water level within the tank may be observed;

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view taken through the end of the tankadjacent one of the tank supports, the view being taken on plane 99 ofFigure 3;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view through the upperportion of the refrigerator door showing in elevation one of thebrackets for supporting the water tank;

Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectional view through the end of the watertank and one of its support brackets, the view being taken on plane11-11 of Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a cross sectional view taken through the discharge spoutattached to the water tank as viewed on plane 12-12 of Figure 6;

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view through the discharge spout taken onplane 13-13 of Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a horizontal cross sectional view through a portion of thepushbar taken on plane 14-14 of Figure 6;

Figure 15 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the pushbartaken on plane 15--15 of Figure 6,

the view showing the end of the discharge spout in elevation;

Figure 16 is a vertical sectional view through the pivotal support ofthe pushbar taken on plane 16-16 of Figure l;

Figure 17 is a horizontal sectional view of the pushbar pivot taken onplane 17-17 of Figure 16; and

Figure 18 is a vertical sectional view taken through the lower portionof the escutcheon plate, the view being taken on plane Iii-18 of Figure6.

General arrangement With reference to Figures 1, 2, and 6, there isshown a water dispenser including a water tank, generally designated 1,which is releasably secured to liner 2 of a refrigerator door, generallydesignated 3. The water tank includes a discharge spout 4 which extendsthrough the door into engagement with a pushbar 5, the pushbar beingpivotally attached at 6 to an escutcheon plate 7 which is clamped toouter shell 8 of the refrigerator door by means of a plurality ofbrackets 9 which are bolted to the rear of the escutcheon plate. Viewedfrom the exterior of the refrigerator door, the escutcheon plate 7 isconcaved, as indicated at 10, to define a shallow well in the face ofthe refrigerator door for receiving a drinking glass (not shown), orsimilar receptacle, which may be disposed beneath lip 11 of dischargespout 4 to receive water released from water tank 1 by actuation of thepushbar 5. A small catch basin 12 may be permanently or releasablyattached to the lower portion of the escutcheon plate to receive anywater that may drip from lip 11.

The water tank may be filled through an inlet conduit 13 which ispivotally attached to the water tank, as will be described more fullyhereinafter. Release of water from the water tank is controlled byoperation of a control valve, generally designated 14, which is housedwithin the discharge spout 4. The valve includes a valve stem 15 whichis forced into the discharge spout by the pushbar to effect release ofwater from the water tank.

Details of the water tank The water tank 1 may be molded from plastic orany other suitable material. As indicated in Figure 6, the

tank may be conveniently molded in halves as indicated at 16 and 17.These halves are cemented together to form a tank having an open topwall 18 defining a rectangular opening 19.

Within opening 19 there is positioned a removable plastic cover 20having a continuous depending flange 21 for strengthening the cover andengaging rectangular opening 19 in top wall 18 of the tank.

Attention is now directed to Figures 3 through 7 which show thestructural details of the inlet conduit 13. The

inlet conduit has a shallow box-like formation includt ing side Walls 22and a bottom wall 23 through which a filling opening 24 is formed. Thefilling opening is defined by a downwardly extending cylindrical wall 25which is closely fitted within a correspondingly dimensioned cylindricalwall 26 formed integrally with cover 20, cylindrical walls 25 and 26providing a pivotal connection for the iniet conduit to the water tank.

The conduit 13 also has molded integrally with it a face portion 27which, as indicated in Figure 2, is commensurate with the decorativetreatment of the water tank. The face portion is extended at one end, asindicated at 28, for engagement by the users finger which may beinserted into a clearance space defined by curved wall 29 in the frontof the tank. By engaging extension 28, the inlet conduit may be pivotedfrom the position shown in Figure 4 to that shown in Figure 5, pivotalmovement of the conduit being limited by a stop member 30 which ismolded integrally with the conduit.

When the conduit is positioned, as indicated in Figure 5, water may bepoured into the conduit which conducts 4 the water through fillingopening 24 and into the water tank 1.

The water level within the tank may be visually determined by means of atransparent window 31 which is sealed to the wall of the water tank (seeFigure 2).

After the water tank has been filled, the inlet conduit may be returnedto the position shown in Figure 4, another stop member 32 being providedon the conduit for engagement with the rear wall of the water tank.

As indicated in Figure 6, water flows from the water tank through thedischarge spout 4. The discharge spout includes an integral flange 33which is bolted, as at 34 (see Figure 13), to portion 17 of the Watertank. A sealing gasket 35 may be clamped between flange 33 and the wallof the tank to form a watertight seal.

Formed. integrally with spout 4 is a transverse wall 36 which defines adischarge aperture 37. Valve stem 15 extends through this aperture andbears a bib washer 38 which is movable into sealing relationship withaperture 37. The valve stem 15 is slidably guided by an integral portion39 formed in the discharge spout.

Bib washer 38 is held in sealing engagement against aperture 37 by meansof a conical spring 40 which engages the wall of the tank at 41 andexerts pressure on end 42 of valve stem 15. As will be understood bythose skilled in the art, pressure applied to the end of valve stem 15will compress spring 40 thereby forcing bib washer 38 away from aperture37 and permitting a flow of water from the tank through the spout andpast lip 11 from which the water-flows to a drinking glass.

Tank mounting means The tank is releasably attached to door liner 2 bymeans of two brackets, generally designated 43, which are bolted, as at44, near the sides of recess 45 formed in the door liner. The bracketsare illustrated in Figures 3, 9, l0, and 11. With particular referenceto Figures 10 and 11, it will be noted that each bracket includes aplanar end wall 46 having an upper inturned flange 47 and lowerinturned'flange 48. Each bracket also in cludes rear flanges 49 whichare bolted to the door liner at 44, as has been explained.

As illustrated in Figure 3, a bracket 43 engages each end of the tank,the tank being supported on flange 48 on each of the brackets.

To each bracket 43 there is pivotally attached, as at 50, a latch 51which is urged counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 10, by a torsionspring 52. Each latch includes a rounded front end 53 and a notch 54.The water tank attached to the door is forced past front end 53 untilprojections 55 (see Figure 9) come into locked engagement with notch 54.When projections 55 are engaged with the spring-loaded latches, the tankis releasably but firmly attached to the door liner. The door may beslammed without dislodging the tank from its mounting.

When the tank is mounted on brackets 43, cover 20 is held securelyagainst top wall 18 of the tank by means of flanges 47 on the brackets.These flanges engage elongated projections 56 which are formedintegrally with and project above cover 20 of the water tank (see Figure9).

The water tank may be removed from the door by applying a downwardpressure to the spring-loaded latches 51which,-when disengaged fromprojections 55, will permit the Water tank to be removed from the doorfor cleaning purposes.

Attention is now directed to Figure 12 which shows a projection 57formed at the lower edge of flange 33 of the discharge spout 4. Duringthe time that the tank is removed from the door it may he stood upon anyflat surface, the tank resting on projections 55 and 57 which. act assupporting feet.

Sealing means for discharge spout As will be appreciated by thoseskilled in the art, it is important that ambient air be prevented fromentering the refrigerator during the time that the door is closed. Anyair leakage into the refrigerator results in loss of refrigeration andcarries moisture into the refrigerator which deposits as frost on theevaporator. A unique construction has been provided to permit passage ofdischarge spout 4 through the door without disturbing the insulation andwithoutleakage of ambient air into the refrigerator. Attention is nowdirected to Figure 6 which shows an inner and an outer rubber sealingWasher 58 and 59, respectively. Both of these sealing washers engagegrooves formed on the exterior surface of the spout, as indicated at 60and 61, respectively.

The sealing Washers are quite flexible and when the tank is assembled tothe refrigerator door, the sealing Washers yieldably engage fixedportions of the door structure. For instance, sealing Washer 58 engagesa flanged opening 62 formed in door liner 2 while sealing washer 59yieldably engages a flange 63 formed on the rear wall of the escutcheonplate 7.

Surrounding the discharge spout is a plastic cup 64 which is engagedbehind the flanges at 62 and 63 to retain the insulation 65 which isprovided within the door to reduce heat leakage.

The yieldable engagement of the sealing washers with the structure ofthe door forms a double seal to prevent leakage of ambient air into therefrigerator and also forms a dead air space within cup 64, which alsohas insulating value.

Since sealing washer 59 is slightly smaller in diameter than the flangedopening 62, passage of washer 59 through the opening will not be impededand the tank may be readily removed from or assembled to the doorwithout disturbing the efficacy of the seal when the tank is assembledto the door.

At this time it may be well to note that the discharge nozzle is madefrom plastic or other non-conducting material; thus, transfer of heatfrom the ambient air to the water within the tank is retarded andsweating of the externally exposed portions of the discharge nozzle isminimized. Any condensation of moisture that may occur on the dischargenozzle will drip from lip 11 into the catch basin 12 at the bottom ofthe escutcheon plate.

Pushbar actuating mechanism The details of the pushbar mechanism may nowbe considered. Attention is first directed to Figure l which shows thefront elevational View of the pushbar 5 in assembled relationship withescutcheon plate 7. It will be noted that the pushbar, for appearancepurposes, has a V-shaped upper portion which corresponds to the V-shaped formation of the escutcheon plate. At each side adjacent anextremity of the V-shaped formation, there is provided a pivot pin,indicated at 6 in Figures 16 and 17. The full cross sectional view ofthe pushbar is best indicated in Figure 16, the central cross sectionalview of the pushbar being shown in Figure 6.

With reference to this latter figure, it will be noted that acompression coil spring 66 extends between the rear face of the pushbarand the escutcheon plate, this spring constantly urging the pushbar awayfrom the face of the door. Pressure applied anywhere to the lowerportion of the pushbar, as to face 67, will rotate the pushbar about itspivotal supports and compress spring 66.

Formed integrally on the rear wall of the pushbar is a transverseprojection 68 to which is bolted a valve actuating member 69 (see FigureMember 69 has a valve actuating element 70 which is positioned withinslot 71 formed at the outer end of the discharge spout. Element 70engages the end of valve stem 15,.as illustrated in Figure 15, forceapplied to the pushbar being transferred to the valve stem by element70. The position of element 70 Within slot 71 is indicated by Figure l4.

As will be understood by those skilled inthe art, assembly of the watertank to the door will automatically bring the extended end of valve stem15 into' bearing engagement with element 70, as illustrated in Figure 6.Because of the force of'spring 66, the pushbar normally does not exertany pressure against the valve stem, and valve 14 is not actuated torelease water from the tank until the pushbar is pressed into the doorby the user.

'In conclusion, it will be recognized that the present inventionprovides an improved form of water dispenser for a refrigerator door andone which makes it possible for the user to obtain a glass of cooleddrinking water without opening the refrigerator door. When the watertank has been assembled to the door and filled, it is merely necessaryfor the user to apply pressure to the pushbar which will actuate thevalve 14 and release water from the tank through the discharge spout andinto a receptacle held within the concavity of the escutcheon plate.

It is important to recognize that the Water tank may be readily removedfrom the refrigerator door and disassembled for cleaning purposes,although it is not necessary to remove the tank in order to fill it witha supply of Water.

The construction and arrangement of the tank and discharge spout aresuch that they automatically form an airtight seal with the structuralelements of the refrigerator door so that leakage and heat transfer intothe refrigerator are reduced to a bare minimum.

Having described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim:

1. A water dispenser for installation on a refrigerator door having anouter shell, an inner liner, and insulation therebetween, said shell,insulation, and liner defining aligned openings therethrough, said waterdispenser COD!- prising a water tank; brackets secured to the liner forreleasably supporting said tank; an inlet conduit pivotally secured tosaid tank for movement between an extended filling position and a closedposition above said tank; a discharge spout secured to and projectingfrom said tank through the openings defined by the liner, insulation,and outer shell; an escutcheon plate secured to said outer shell havingan opening surrounding said discharge spout; an open-bottomed cupdisposed between said escutcheon plate and the liner for retaining theinsulation; sealing washers secured to said spout, one of said sealingwashers yieldably engaging the liner, the other sealing washer yieldablyengaging said escutcheon plate adjacent the opening therein; saidsealing washers and open-bottomed cup defining an insulating dead airspace surrounding said discharge spout; valve means within said spout,said valve means including a valve stem projecting outwardly from saidspout; a spring-loaded pushbar pivotally secured to said escutcheonplate adjacent said valve stem; and means on said pushbar for engagingsaid valve stem.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said brackets includespring-loaded latch means for releasably engaging said tank and holdingsaid tank in supported relationship with said brackets.

3. A water tank assembly comprising a plastic molded water tank havingan open top wall, a cover including a depending flange engaging theopening in said top wall, a cylindrical wall secured to and dependingfrom said cover, an inlet conduit including a depending cylindrical wallin engagement with said cylindrical wall of said cover, a fillingopening being defined by said cylindrical wall of said conduit, theengagement of said cylindrical wall forming a pivotal connection betweensaid inlet conduit and said cover, a discharge spout secured to saidtank and projecting therefrom, and valve means within said spout.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 and, in addition, a transparentwindow formed in one wall of said water tank.

5. A water dispenser for installation on a refrigerator door having anouter shell, an inner liner, and insulation therebetween, said shell,insulation, and liner defining aligned openings therethrough, said Waterdispenser comprising a water tank; brackets secured to the liner forreleasably supporting said tank; an inlet conduit pivotally secured tosaid tank for movement between an extended filling position and a closedposition; a discharge spout secured to and projecting from said tankthrough the openings defined by the liner, insulation, and outer shell;an escutchcon plate secured to said outer shell surrounding saiddischarge spout; means extending between said escutcheon plate'and theliner for retaining the insulation;

resilient sealing means on said spout for preventing ingress and egressof air past said insulation retaining means; valve means within saidspout; and a pivoted spring-loaded pushbar on the exterior of said doorin position to impart movement to said valve means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,028,926 Seeger Jan. 28, 1936 2,299,103 Miller Oct. 20, 1942 2,512,395Sundberg "(lune 20, 1950

